Engine starting apparatus



Oct. 20, 1931; F. J. HARDMAN 1,823,366

ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed. July 28, 1924 Patented Oct. 20, 1931 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

rnnnniucx J. HARDMAN, or DAYTON, onmnssrenon, BY MESNE nssicmvrnnrs, r DELGO-REMY eonronnr-ron, or DAYTON, 01110, .A. CORPORATION or DELAWARE v ENGINE STARTING Arrnnnrus Application filed July 28,

tions'between, the motor and engine comprising a pinion adapted to engage and drive a gear connected with the engine to be started. Said connections comprise means whereby thepinion will be automatically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine becomes self-operative. The pinion is moved manually into mesh with the enginegear by a mechanism including a pedal or other devices controlled by the operator. The pedal is automatically disconnected from the pinion after the pinion has been meshed with the engine gear so that automatic demeshment of the pinion in the mannerreferred to may take place regardless" of failure to release the pedal after the engine starts. In this type of apparatus the pedal is used to operate a switch for controlling the motor.

One of the objects of the present lIiVBIl tion is to improve this type of apparatus by engagement of the pinion and engine gear before the motor is operated so that the teeth of the pinion and gear willbe subjectedto the minimum shock. 7

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the i01 lowing description, reference-being had-to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the present invention is clearly shown.

Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings are fragmentary side views partly in section showing a form of the present invention, in normalposi tion and in cranking position, respectively. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan View partly in longitudinal section ofthe engine gea-r,.pin

- ion and pinion shifting mechanism shownin the other figures.

Referring to the drawings, the engine to be started is represented by avflywheel gear 20 adapted to be engaged by a pinion 21 slidable along a motor shaft 22 and against a stop collar 23 attached to the shaft by p'in24. The shaft 22 is provided with a spirally splined' portion 25 and supports the armai924. Serial No. 723,531.

ture'26 of an electrical motor 27 having'a field frame 28. Frame 28 is attached to a gear housing 29 which supports a bearing 30 for theri-ght end of shaft 22. The left end bearing, not shown, is carried by the frame 28.

Between the stop collar 23 and a plane bearing'surface 31 provided'byhousing 29 there is located a thrust washer 32.

The splined portion 25 of shaft 28 is threadedly engaged by sleeve 35 provided with flanges 36 and 37 defining a groove 38. Sleeve 35 is provided with diametrically opposed and longitudinally extending" slots 39 which receive pins 40 extending through the hub 41 of pinion 21. Thehub ll is provided With a recess 42 for receiving the splined portion of shaft 22 and the sleeve 85; The pinion 21' car- .riesia flange 4L3 for receiving pressure exerted by aspring Mfofthe bed spring type, v

having its largest turn (indicated bythe small cross hatched circle 45) retained as shown within the cylindrical wall of the housing29 and located against a plurality of lugs 46. effecting the substantially'complete driving .The pins 40 are retained inplace by a sleeve adapted to fit snugly around the hub :41 and pinion 21. Sleeve 50. is provided with diametrically opposed slots eachlinoluding a notch 51 slightly larger in diameterthan the largest diameter of the pin 40, and including a notch 52 less in diameter than the largest diameter of pin 40 but slightly greater in diameter than the grooved portion 53 of pin 40. The pins 40 are assembled in the posit-ion shown in the drawings after the sleeve 50 has been adjusted along the hub 41 to hringthe notches 51 opposite the holes provided in the hub 41 for receiving the pins 40." Then the sleeve 50 is moved into'the po sition shown to lock the pins in place by the movement "of the notched portions 52 into the grooves 53 of the pins. Thesle'eve 50'is retained fin locking position by screw 54.

The mechanism for operating the sleeve 35 includesa pedal 60 connected by rod 61 with a lever 62fittedo'n rod63 carried by housing 29. The lever "62 includes anarm 64 carrying a'piv'ot65 for a latch 66. The latch 66 is provided wit-ha hook 67 adapted to be moved through an opening 68provided inthe yoke 69 which connects levers 70, pivoted on rod 63 and each having an end 71 received by the groove 38 of sleeve 35. A spring 75 is attached at one end by screw 7 6 to the housing 29. The other end of spring 75 passes through a hole 77 provided in latch 66. In order to maintain the lever 62.normally in the position shown in Fig. 1, a spring 80 is located between the pedal 60 and a cupshaped member 81 surrounding the rod 61 and attached to the floor board'82 of the vehicle propelled by the engine to be started. The spring 80, by acting upon the spring 7 5 through the pivot 65 and the latch 66, causes the spring 7 5 to be conditioned for biasing the latch 66, in a counterclockwise direction to cause the latch to be connected with'the lever 70.

The motor switch 85 includes casing 86 attached by screw 87 to motor frame 28. Switch 85 includes a plunger 88 carrying within the switch casing a movable contact, not shown, one being connected with the motor circuits and the other with a terminal 89 for making connections with the storage battery.

The invention operates in the following manner. To start the engine the pedal 60 is pressed downwardly to cause the lever 62 to move toward the switch 85. Motion is transmitted from lever 62 to lever 7 0 through the latch 66 thereby causing the spring 44 to be released to move the pinion 21 into contact with the gear 20 while the sleeve 35 moves spirally toward said gear. Should the teeth of the pinion 21 collide with the teeth of the gear 20 as shown in Fig. 3, motion of the pinion will be temporarily arrest-ed. However, the spiral motion of the sleeve 35 relative to the pinion 21 may continue by reason of the pin and slot connection between these members. During endwise movement of the sleeve 35 along the shaft 22, sleeve 35 will rotate relative to the shaft 22 sufliciently to cause the pinion 21 to rotate into a position for meshing with the gear 20 while being yieldingly pressed against the gear 20 by. the spring 44. After this registration has been obtained, continued pressure upon the pedal 60 causes the pinion 21 to move into full engagement with the gear 20 and to move against the stop 23. When the pinion 21 is closely adjacent the stop 23 the switch 85is closed by the engagement of lever 62' with plunger 88, and thereafter the motor operates to crank the engine.

The operation ofthe motor tends to urge the pinion 21 against the stop 23 and to relieve the pressure between the engaging surfaces of the lever yoke 69 and'the-latch hook 1 67. 'VVhen this pressure is relieved, the spring 75,'then biased to produce clockwise rotation of the latch 66, will be released to effect the disengagement of the latch 66 from lever 70. Therefore, when the engine becomes self-operative, automatic disengagement of the pinion from the engine gear will not be prevented by reason of failure to release the pedal 60.

When the engine becomes self-operative and the gear 20 tends to drive the pinion 21, this driving pressure is transmitted through the pins 40 to the sleeve 35 causing the latter to be threaded along the spirally splined shaft 22. The automatic demeshing of the pinion 21 causes the sleeve 35 to move against'a stop 90 surrounding the shaft 22. The sleeve 35 is held in this position by a spring 91 coiled around the rod 63 having an end 92 bearing against the frame 28 and an end 93 bearing against the lever yoke 69.

Release of the pedal 60 permits the sleeve 80 to return the lever 62 to normal position wherein the latch 66 is biased by the spring 75 into meshing connection with lever 70, as shown in Fig. 1. The switch plunger 88 returnedto switch open position by spring 95 located between the plunger and the switch case 86.

During movement of the pinion 21 into contact with the gear 20 the spring 44 con- 2 tinues to bear against the flange 43 so. that the relative endwise location of the sleeve 35 and pinion 21 will be maintained as shown in Fig. 1. Therefore if abutting of the pinion teeth against the gear teeth should occur before meshing the pinion 21 with the gear 20 there will be provided suificient relative endwise movement between the sleeve 35 and pinon 21 to enable the sleeve to be threaded alon -the shaft to rotate the )inion into a registering position. Meshing of the pinion with the gear is facilitated also by bevelling the ends of the pinion teeth as indicated at 21a. After the pinion 21 has been meshed withthe gear 20 the sleeve 35' will move withm:

in the recess 42 of the pinion hub 41 until the left end of the slots 39 bear against the pins 40. If the engine should fail tostart after the gears have been meshed the motor switch may be opened by release of the pedal 60.

Motion of the pedal 62 sufficient to permit the i switch to open will occur since the sleeve 35 may be moved away from the pinion 21 until the pins 40 areengaged by the right-hand ends of the slots 39. I

During the return movement of the pinion 21 to normal position the flange 43 is engaged again by the spring 44 so that the relative location of sleeve 35 and pinion 21 will be restored to normal as shown in Fig. 1.

One of the advantages of the present inventionis that the pinion 21 may be moved manually into substantially full engagement with the engine gear 20 before the motor switch is closed. By using such apparatus,

ferred form, it is to be understood that other tween e form's miight be :adopted, all ooming within *thescope of the claims which follow.

What l 'elaim'isas follows: I

l. Engine "starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor; sp'ii ally splined "shaftdriven thereby ;a sleeve th leadedlyengaging'the shaft a pinio'n slidable along the shaft into mesh with argea connected with the; en gine to he started; a driving corineetio'n between the pinion and 'sleeve permitting *endwi'se movement the sleeve relative to the pinion whereby, it :endwisemovement of the pinion is prevented "by abutting bf the lpi nionteeth "and gear teeth; s i ahnotjon ef the sleeve along the shaft may be continued inorder to rotate-the pinion into registration Withthe geai a= moterswitch"; and means for moving-the sleeve-and pinion and for closing theswitch'viihenthe pini'on i's inshbstzihtistlly dell engagement With'the r Engine starting app-(trams comprismg, 1n combin auon,=a motor; a spirallysjahned shaft dlfiven theieby sleev threadedlyengaging the shaft"; a -"pin i'on 'slidableal'on the shaft into mesh with a gear connected with the *en gi 'rfefto be "st arteel a pi h ahd slot ch-iving eon'neetion be'tWe'en th'e pi'nio'n and sleeve ermitting en'dwise movement of the sleeve relative to the pinion whereby, if'e'nd'w'ise movement-of the ipinioh is prevented by abettingofthe 'pi'rfion teethaedgearteeth, motion ef the sleeve "along the shaft be continued in 'oi' dei" *to mitate the pi nien in't'o registration with the "gear; a m'otoi *s'wit'h';

" and means for mo'v b thesleeveae p1'n10n and for closing the switch when t 1e pinion is in substantially fu ll 'enga eiiient with the IgEfl-I. I i

3. Engine stat-ting apparatus ebm' risie in eembination a motor driving connections for connecting the met fiahden'gine "incl'nddn amotor dri'ven epi" lyspli'rfed 'sha'ft a pinion manna-11y d-riv *gly "chhnete'd with said 'spli nesahd adapted "to in'e'sh with a gear connected "with the engine to be started-ta device for moving the {)i-hion extant into mesh with theeh gine gear enemies-using the pinion to'be rotated while bein'g utged against the engine gear in order being the pinion into meshing ie'gisttation with the engine gear inea e of gear teeth shite-neat; a menua l-1y operable member fora'ctuatiiig said device; and a contr ller for the i-not'or etran'ged t0 be zip-grated bythe menu a ll'yo ereb-ieimenrher only after the pinion is at least pm-1y meshed with the engine gear.

4. Engine staining appafatus cem'pr'isihg in combination, a meter; aspire-11y s'pli'n'ed shaft driven by the meter"; an eh'd'w vise moiable and rotatable ineinbe-i engaging said splines; a pinion adapted to move endwise into mesh with a gear of anen ine t6 loe started; driving" connections hetween the pinion and member providing limited endmember; a s ring normally urging the pinion endwise te'ward the'eng'ine gear; a motor s't'viteh; and ineahs for motfingthem'e'mhei pinion and for closing the SWitCh;

5.- Eng'ine starting apparatus comprising, in c mbination, a motor; a spirally s lined sliaft driven by the motor"; an enditise mov; able retatable member engaging said splines; a pinion adapted to move endwise into inesh with a gear of an engine to be started"; pin and slot driving connections between the pinion and member providing limited entlivise movement of the pinion rem- 't'i've to said member; a spring located between the pinion and a statioh'ary pait for ufging the pinion toward the engine gear; a IllOtD i switch; ah'd means 61 moving the member and pinion and for closing the switch.

6. Engine starting apparatus com rising,

in combination, a meter; means for connecting the motor with the engine iiicluding a pinion movable into mesh with a gear of the engine and including provisions whereby when the pinion is partly meshed with the engine gearperation of the motor Will cause the pinion to be Completely meshed, and Wh'efe'by the "pinion Will be automatieally demeshe'd when the engine becomes self-opera t'i've; a manually opefahle member; a device actuated by the manuallyopet'able member formatting the pinion into mesh with the engine gear and for Causing the pinion to be iotat-ed 'tvhile being urged against the engine gear in order to Bring the pinion into mesh; in regi tfatot With the eh'g ihe gear in case of gear tooth abutment; a Inotor controller ha'fi ing its aetuating member operated by the c manually operable member, and spaced noti'n'ally "at 511th a distanee from the manually in combinetioh, a motor; a spirally spliiied shaft operated by themotor'; a ljinion drivingly connected With the shaft through said splines and adapted to 'move axially into mesh with-a gear of the engine to b started;

a manually bl f able a dviee ated by -the ma ually eperabl member for moving the pinionaxially ihto mesh with the engine g eat and for causing the pinioh to be Totated While being fitg'ed against the engine ear in order to bting the pinion into meshing registrants with the engine gear in base of geaf tooth abutment; a mot-bi con: trolle'r having its actuating member operated by the metually operable member, and spaced normally at such a distance from the menu:- ally 'opei'able member that the motor Icon-- troller is not operated to start the motor until after the pinion is substantially meshed with the gear; and means for automatically disconnecting the manually operable member from said device after engine starting begins and before the engine becomes self-operative.

8. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor; a shaft operated thereby; means for connecting the shaft with the gear of an engine to be started and including a pinion connected with the shaft for rotation therewith and slidable along the shaft into mesh with the gear, and including provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the gear when the engine starts; a device for moving the pinion and for rotating it prior to meshing in case of abutment with the engine gear, while the pinion is being pressed against the engine gear; a manually operable member for oper ating said device; and means for automatically disconnecting the manually operable member from said device after the pinion has been meshed with the gear and before the engine starts.

9. Engine starting apparatus according to claim 8 in which the means, which automatically disconnects the manually operable member from the pinion meshing device, is oper ated in response to the turning of the shaft by the starting motor.

10. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor, a helically splined shaft operated by the motor; a sleeve connected with said splines and movable along the shaft; a pinion movable along the shaft into mesh with an engine gear; driving connections between the pinion and sleeve permittig relative axial movement between the pinion and sleeve; a manually operable memher for moving the sleeve; and means for automatically disconnecting the manually operable member from the sleeve after the pinion has been meshed and before the engine starts.

11. Engine starting apparatus according to claim 10 in which the means which automatically disconnects the manually operable member from the sleeve, is operated in response to the turning of the shaft by the motor.

12. An engine starter drive comprising, in combination, a rotatable driving member adapted to move axially into driving connection with a member of an engine to be started; a spring for urging the driving member toward the engine member; means having a manually operated actuator for causing the spring to be effective to urge the driving member yieldingly against the engine member in case the driving member collides with the engine member before becoming drivingly connected therewith, and for causing the driving member to rotate while beingyieldingly pressed against the engine part; means for automatically disconnecting the actuator from the driving member before the engine starts; and means for automatically disconmeeting said members when the engine starts.

13. An engine starter drive comprising, in combination, a rotatable driving member adapted to move axially into driving connection with a member of an engine to be started; a spring for urging the driving member toward the engine member; means having a manually operated actuator for causing the spring to be eifective to urge the driving member yieldingly against the engine member in case the driving member collides with the engine member before becoming orivingly connected therewith, and for causing the driving member to rotate while being yieldingly pressed against the engine part; a starting motor for operating the driving member; means responsive to the operation of the motor for automatically disconnecting the actuator from the driving member before the engine starts; and means for automatically disconnecting said members when the engine starts.

14-. An engine starter drive comprising, in combination, a rotatable drive shaft; a rotatable drive-connecting-member adapt-ed to be moved longitudinally of the shaft into driving connection with a part of an engine to be started; an intermediate drive device movable longitudinally of the shaft; means so connecting the shaft and device that relative longitudinal movement is accompanied by relative rotary movement; means connecting the drive-connecting-member and intermediate device so as to permit relative longitudinal movement between them; a spring for normally maintaining a certain normal longitudinal relation between the member and device; means having a manually operated actuator for moving the intermediate device and drive-connecting-member toward the engine part in order to connect said memher and part; and means for automatically disconnecting the actuator.

15. An engine starter drive comprising, in combination, a rotatable drive shaft; a rotatable drive-connecting-n1ember adapted to be moved axially along the shaftinto-driving connection with a part of an engine to be started; an intermediate drive sleeve movable axially along the shaft, and having helical spline connections with the shaft and straight longitudinal spline connections with the member; a spring for normally maintaining a certain normal longitudinal relation between the member and device; means having a manually operated actuator for moving the intermediate device and drive-connecting member toward the engine part in order to connect said member and part; and means for automatically disconnecting the actuator. Y

1 6. An engine starter drive comprising, in

combination, a rotatable drive-connecting member movable axially into driving connection with a part of the engine to be started; manually operable means for moving the member into engagement with the part and for rotating the member in case it collides with the part before becoming drivingly connected therewith, said means comprising an actuator, a shifter mounted for concurrent longitudinal and rotary movement, and means connecting the shifter with the memher so that the shifter may impart rotation to the member so that there may be rela tive longitudinal movement between the shifter and member; and means for auto matically disconnecting the drive-connectingmember from the engine part when the engine starts. 7

17. An engine starter drive comprising, in

combination, a rotatable drive-connecting member movable axially into driving connection with a part of the engine to be started; manually operable means for moving the member into engagement with the part and for rotating the member in case it collides with the part before becoming drivingly connected therewith, said means comprising an actuator, a shifter mounted for concurrent longitudinal and rotary movement, and means connecting the shifter with the member so that the shifter may impart rotation to the member and so that there may be relative longitudinal movement between the shifter and member; and means for automatically disconnecting the drive-connecting member from the engine part when the engine starts; and means for automatically disconnecting the actuator from the shifter.

18. Engine starting apparatus comprising,

in combination, a motor, a shaft driven thereby, means for connecting the shaft with the gear of an engine to be started and comprising a pinion movable endwise into mesh with the engine gear and provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed when I the engine starts, said connecting means including an endwise movable shaft so connected with the motor shaft that endwise movement thereof will produce rotation thereof relative to the motor shaft, means connecting the pinion with the endwise movable shaft and providing for longitudinal relative movement between them, manually operated means for moving the second shaft and pinion endwise, said means having an actuator; and means for automatically disconnecting the actuator from the manually operated means before the engine operates.

19. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor; a shaft driven thereby; means for connecting the shaft with the gear of an engine to be started and comprising a pinion movable endwise into mesh with the engine gear and provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed including an intermediate endwise movable shaftso connected with the motor shaft; that endwise movement ofthe intermediate shaft will produce rotation thereof relative to the tive yielding to press the pinion against the gear in case of abutment before meshing, and for moving the lntermediate shaft endwise in order, to rotate the pinion while it is yieldingly pressed against the gear, said manually operable means having an actuator; and means for automatically disconnecting the actuator from themanually operated means before the engine starts.

20. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor; a shaft operated thereby; a pinion movable endwise along said shaft into mesh with an engine gear; means for causing the pinion to be automatically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine starts; a sleeve drivingly connected with the shaft in such manner that relatively longitudinal movement between the sleeve and shaft is accompanied by relative rotary movement between them; driving connections between the sleeve and pinion providing for a limited amount of relative longitudinal movement between them, and transmitting to the pinion substantially only rotary motion until the lost motion between the sleeve and pinion is taken up;'a spring for yieldingly urging the pinion against the gear while the pinion is being turned by the sleeve; manually operated means for moving the sleeve in order to meshthe pinion with the gear; and means for automatically rendering the manual means inoperative to prevent demeshing of the pinion by the starting of the engine.

21. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor; a shaft operated thereby; a pinion movable endwise along said shaft into mesh with an engine gear; a pinion shifter movable along the shaft and connected with the shaft in such manner that endwise movement of the shifter is accompanied by rotation thereof; lost motion connections be- When the engine starts, said connecting'meanstween the shifter and pinion permitting with the shaft in such manner that endwise movement of the shifter is accompanied by rotation thereof; lost motion connections between the shifter and pinion permitting limited longitudinal movement of the shifter relative to the pinion in case endwise movement of the pinion is arrested, whereby rotary motion only will be imparted by the shifter to the pinion until the longitudinal lost motion is taken up manually operable means for moving the shifter and including an actuator; automatic means for disconnecting the actuator from the shifter before the engine starts; and automatic means for disconnecting the pinion from the gear when the engine starts.

In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature.

FREDERICK J. HARDMAN 

